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Cumulative response curves to enhance interpretation of treatment differences on the Self-Esteem And Relationship questionnaire for men with erectile dysfunction

Cappelleri JC, Zou KH, Bushmakin AG, Carlsson MO, Symonds T

BJU international, 2013

115 participants

Abstract

UNLABELLED: What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Studies on erectile dysfunction (ED) therapies rely heavily on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to measure efficacy on treatment response. A challenge when using PROs is interpretation of the clinical meaning of changes in scores. A responder analysis provides a threshold score to indicate whether a change in score qualifies a patient as a responder. However, a major consideration with responder analysis is the sometimes arbitrary nature of defining the threshold for a response. By contrast, cumulative response curves (CRCs) display patient response rates over a continuum of possible thresholds, thus eliminating problems with a rigid threshold definition, allowing for a variety of response thresholds to be examined simultaneously, and encompassing all data. With respect to the psychosocial factors addressed in the Self-Esteem And Relationship questionnaire in ED, CRCs clearly, distinctly, and meaningfully highlighted the favourable profiles of responses to sildenafil compared with placebo. CRCs for PROs in urology can provide a clear, transparent and meaningful visual depiction of efficacy data that can supplement and complement other analyses.

OBJECTIVE: To use cumulative response curves (CRCs) to enrich meaning and enhance interpretation of scores on the Self-Esteem And Relationship (SEAR) questionnaire with respect to treatment differences for men with erectile dysfunction (ED).

PATIENTS AND METHODS:…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 115 participants or records.

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